Field template for rails and joints



May 10, 1932. w GADD 1,857,951

FIELD TEMPLATE FOR RAILS AND JOINTS Filed March 30, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 10, 1932.4 7

W. E. GADD FIELD TEMPLATE FOR RAILS AND JOINTS Filed March so, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 W/TNEssEs May 10, 1932. w. E. GADD FIELD TEMPLATE FOR RAILS AND JOINTS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 30, 1929 M M 5 7 0/0 5 m 4 y W w a Q E p v w a m J & J1

gmntor P "In Patented May'10, 1932 ten srATEs WILLIAM nYnn GADD, or GLEN oLnEN, PENNSYLVANIA FIELD TEMPLATE FOB RAILS AND JOINTS Application filedMarc-h 30, 1929. Serial No 351,224.

This invention relates to rail gauges, and more particularly to a gauge of the adjustable type. j

Heretofore, in determining the wear on railway rails, for ascertaining the remaining life of the rail as well as for effecting joint bar renewals or replacements, it has been the customary practice to measure the wear on the surface of the rail head as well as on the fishing surfaces by the use of templates corresponding to the normal-rail section. This means of determining wear, however, necessitatesthe use of a plurality of templates for different size rails and aside from the inconvenience of requiring the carrying of a number of templates for various rail sections, may not always be relied upon for accuracy because of the permissible variations in standard rails due to rolling mill practices: The accurate determination of wear particularly at the jointlocations is necessary to permit of either shimming the worn joint bars, or the use of a reformed bar or a new bar that will compensate for the worn-away metal.

A primary object of the invention is there fore to provide a gauge having features of construction whereby the various parts thereof may be adjusted to conveniently and expeditiously comparethe rail section at a point 39 or location away from the joint with the rail section at the joint location, after the joint bars have been removed, so as to determine the amount of wear which has taken place where the joint bars have been in service, and

also the wear 011 the surface of the rail head as compared with the normal section. I

In that connection the invention also contemplates a template which may be used for comparing one rail or a oint bar with another like section of rail or joint bar.

A further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable gauge construction which permits of the application of the gauge to a wide variety of rail sections thereby eliminating' the disadvantages of using several gauges or a plurality of templates for determining wear.

With the above and other objects in view g) which will morereadily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combina-' tion and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: V i

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the'improved gauge illustrating its applicationto a rail, at a point for example, relativelyre ipote or awayfrom the location of the joint 00 ars.

Figure Z-is an elevation of the improved adjustable rail gauge applied to the rail at a point where the joint bars have been located v Figure 3 is a side elevation of the gauge. on shown in Figure 2. i

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view take on the line 44 of Figure 2. y

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on theline 55 of Figure 1. "m

Figure 6 illustrates a modification of the invention showing the template set to check headfree rails, v I,

Figure 7 is a view showing the template set to measure the head wear of a rail.

Figure 8 is a view illustrating the template set to check fishing of head contact joint bars.

Fi'gure 9 is a view showing the template ls)et to check the fishing of a headfree'joint Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In carrying the invention into effect, it is intended to provide a structure which per- 85 mits of readily making a comparison between the rail as originally rolled and thesame rail where it has become worn by frictional contact with the joint bars. By providing a gauge which permits of following this practice, the error incident to comparing the worn fishing surfaces with a template of the rail section is eliminated, since the particular rail in question may vary somewhat, in accordance with thewellknownpractice. a 1 Referring to the drawings, it will be ob served that the structure includes a support designated generally as A'for engaging the base of the rail, the said support having at one side thereof a vertically arranged carrier bar B upon which a plurality of gauge arms 0, D and E are adj ustably mounted.

The support A preferably consists of a body 1 having at one end thereof the slidable clamping member or clip 2 which may be fixed in any desired position by the set screw 3 or its equivalent after it has been adjusted longitudinally on the member 1- to hold the latter in proper contact with the bottom of the base of the rail. The opposite end of the member 1 is preferably provided with a guideway or recess 4: for receiving the lower end of the carrier 'bar B'which may be held therein by the clamping screw 5. The carrier arm B may therefore be 'rigidlyheld at right-angles to the member 1 of the base so that its lower end will act as an abutment against which the clamp 2 may work to'hold the entire gauge in position to permit of making thesettings or adjustments of the gauge arms at the desired locations on the rail.

the adjustable gauge arms C, D and E. The

gauge arms C and D are preferably of tapering formation and are slotted as indicated at C and D to permit of longitudinal adjustment into and out of the fishing space of the rails, aswell as angular adjustment. Thus,- the gauge arms C'and Dare adjustable both vertically and horizontally to thereby accurately contact with the inclined fishing surfaces of the rail..

The upper gaugearm E is provided'with a guide slot 11 for receiving the upper end of the carrier bar B so that upon the loosen-- iiig of the clamping bolt 10 thearm E may only have avertical movement since it contacts with the surface of the rail and is used for measuring the height of the rail from its base to its surface.

In use, the supporting portion orbracket A is fitted to the base of the rail asa location away from the joint bars as shown in Fig. 1, by moving the adjustable clamp 2 over the base flange of the rail and pulling the carrier arm B into abutting-relation with the edge of the opposite base flange. The clamp 2 is then fixed in position by tightening the set screw 3 and the gauge arms C, D and E are then ready for manipulationto make the desired contact and measurements. In that connection the upper gauge arm E may be brought into contact with the surface of the rail and then the adjustable arms D and E are clamped against the upperside of the railbase and the underside of the rail head respectively. In this way a template is obtained of'the'rail fishing at a location where there has been no wear. 7 A joint bar is-then removed and the template is applied to the rail where the bar had been. This is done by removing the, clamping member 2 and of the arm C and the upperside of the rail base flange and between the upper edge of the arm D and the underside of the rail head.

If the top surface of the rail head is worn more at the joint than where the gauge was originally set on the rail, this can also be determined by inserting a thickness gauge between the underside of the arm E and the top of the rail head.

The gauge can also be used in determining approximately the amount of wear on the upper surface of the rail head by setting the arm E to the height of the fullrail section and then obtaining a contour of the worn head. I

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present construction provides an adjustable track gauge which has advantages over a regular rail template in that it isset to fit the fishing of the particular rail in question and then ascertaining, by applying the gauge to the rail end where the joint has been applied, the amount of wear. \Vhile in one of its modified forms of uses the adjustable gauge permits of obtaining the contour of the rail head, its; chief object is to provide a gauge which enables ofmaking a direct comparison in the field between the worn rail in track and a section of the worn rail, so as to determine the amount of rail wear in the fishing at the rail ends where the joint bars have been in contact.

Figures 6, 7 8 and 9 of the drawings illustrate the application of the invention to a wide range of uses.

Referring to Figure 6, it will be observed that the gauge or template may be used to check headfree rails. According to the arrangement shown, the template for this purpose includes the supporting member A for engaging the rail base and the top gauge arm E as well as the previously described gauge arm C for engaging with the upper side of the rail flange. However, to adapt the template to testa headfree rail additional gauge elements D and D may be adj ustably secured to the carrier arm B. These gauge arms D and D are provided with special gauge surfaces or edges for accomplishing the purpose set forth. For instance, the gauge member D is provided with the rounded nose portion 12 for engaging with the head fillet of the headfree rail while its opposite end has one corner formed withan arcuate cut away portion or notch 18 adapted to be used in checking the fishing of headfree joint bars as will be seen from Figure 9. The gauge member D is formed at oneend with replacing it after the gauge has been applied a fiat end portion 14 arranged at an angle 1?? to contact with theflat surface of the lower portion of the rail head. The opposite end of the member D is formed with a rounded or substantially semi-circular gauge surface 15 to be used in checking the fishing of the joint bars as will be apparent from an examination of Figures 8 and 9.-

In connection with the gauge members D and D it will, of course, be understood that the same are provided with suitable adjustment slots 16 and 17 for receiving the wing bolts or equivalent fastenings 18 and 19 which ride in the slot 7 of the carrier bar B and permit of securing the gauge members I) and D at the desired location for checking purposes.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that by utilizing gauge members of suitable shape and design the present device may be applied to various uses and is of greatest value in the field for the purpose of determining the amount of wear that has taken place on the section of a rail or joint bar by comparison, and for comparing one side of the rail with the other side.

By way of further explaining the manner of using the template, it may be observed from Figure 6, in which the device is set for checking a headfree rail, that the supporting member A may be applied to the base of the rail and the top gauge member E applied to the rail surface, while the gauge member C, D and D may be adjusted vertically and horizontally to fit any rail section from 85# to 136# inclusive. To compare the fishing of the rails, the supporting member A and carrier arm B are madet-o fit tight against the bottom and outer edge of the rail flange, and the clip 2 is secured on the supporting member 1 to hold the entire device in position. The lower gauge member C may then be adjusted so that it rests evenly on the flat portion of the upper side of the rail base, and then. the intermediate gauge member D may be adjusted so that the mid-points of the radius of the fillet on the rail head and the radius of the end 12 approximately coincide. The member D may then be secured or set in position and then the upper gauge member D may be adjusted so that the edge" 14 rests evenly on the flat portion of the rail head.

When all of the gauge members have been set to the proper position the clip 2 may be removed from the supporting member 1 and the template is then ready for removal and application to another rail. When applied to the other rail by means of the clip 2, by use of thickness gauges the clearance between the adjustable members of the templateand the rail may be measured. If the template does not fit tight with the carrier bar B against the edge of the rail base, the template should be set to the latter rail and then replaced on the former rail as this condition indicates thatthe forme rrrail is worn more thanrthe latter rail- ,7

Referringito, Figure 7 ,the template is secured to the.railinthe'inanner heretofore described until the top gauge member E touchesthe top of the rail. The-template is;

to another rail and the difference in amount, of wear measured by a thickness gaugeavlNo attempt ismade to check curve or fiangewear With this template.- It 'is-only used todeten mine the-amount ofhead wear, principally for use in connection. with applying; new

joint bars on'worn rails wherethe head .wear

is a. governing feature inasmuch asLthe rail is unfit for-further use-if Worn so badly that it will permit the wheel flanges to strike the tops -of the joint bars. 5 1' v i Figure '8 of the drawings shows the assembly of parts. set to; check fishing of head cont-act joint bars. f v The 1 gauge members G, D? and D are adjusted on thepcarrier barB to fit the fishing surfaces at the head and foot of the bar, the intermediate gauge. member D engaging the inside face of thebarto' provide a third point of contact to insure a closer check. When the template thus assembled has been set to one joint bar,- it may be removed and'applied to another joint bar and measurements taken with a thickness gauge.

In Figure 9lthe'template is shown with the gauge members adapted to check the fishing of headfree joint bars. The lower gauge member C is set to engage the lower bottom fishing surface of the bariwhile the top gauge member D has the arcuate portion 13 adjusted so that the approximate midoint of the head radius of the joint bar coinci es with the mid-point 13 of the radius on which the notch is struck. Also to give a third point of contact, and to insure a closer check the gauge member D is set so that the rounded edge 15 engages with the lower side of the head of the bar.

Without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to thoseskilled in the art and it will of course be understood that changes in form, proportion and minor details of construction may be re sorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

I claim 1. A field gauge for rails and joints including a support comprising a member for engaging with the underside of the rail base, a rail flange engaging clamp slidably mounted on one end of said member, means for locking said clamp to the member to fasten the gauge to the rail base, an upright carrier mama:

bar secured totheendofftherail base engag ing member opposite the. clamp, a plurality of rail surfa'ce'engaging gaugearmaand means mounting saidr gauge arms on. said 5 carrier bar for adjustment longitudinally therealongand'also transversely and pivotallyrelative thereto:

2. A" rail' gauge comprising a memberadapted" to be disposed against the'bottom face of a rail; an. upright carried by said member and constitutingan abutment for contact with one edgeofithe rai1;flange', a clamp element carried by said member for engagement Withan opposite-sideportion of therailfiangetosecure said memberv to the rail i with said upright abutting the wedge of the .rail flange, a plurality of gauge elements andmeans mounting said gauge elements on said upright.for'longitudinal, transverse and pivotal adjustmentsrelativethereto, one of said gauge elements being-disposed for gauging engagement with the upper face of'the adjacent side-portion of the rail flange: and

forcooperation with theclamp element to secure the gauge 'to the rail.

3; A rail gauge comprising a member adapted to'be'disposed against-the bottom face of a rail, an upright carried by said member, means for securing said member against the bottom face of a rail with the upright disposed in a predetermined definite position relative-to the side of the rail, rail gauge elements, and means mounting said rail gauge elements on: said upri'ghtfor Ion-- gitudinall adjustments therealong' and for pi'votal'adj ustments relative thereto.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix; my signature.

WILLIAM EYRE'GADD. 

